Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2008 Season Preview
Record: 9-7
ATS: 9-7
Super Bowl Odds: 50-1
After a disappointing effort in 2006, the Buccaneers had money to spend in free agency for the first time in several seasons. The offseason changes resulted in Tampa Bay winning the NFC South title, finishing with a 9-7 record and the 4th seed in the NFC. The bucs limped into the postseason by losing 3 of their last 4 games and then lost to the favored Giants 24-14 in the Wild Card game.
Tampa is in a division that has seen all of the other teams making bog moves in an effort to catch up to them. So far, it looks like Head Coach Jon Gruden is going to be able to keep his team ahead of the pack, based on their offseason moves. While the Bucs have not chased many high-profile free agents, they do appear to have helped themselves in most areas. The one position where you would think they would still want an upgrade is at wide receiver. They were not deep in that spot behind Joey Galloway last year, and there are still too many question marks about the changes they have made. The newcomers are Antonio Bryant and 2nd-round pick Dexter Jackson. Bryant has to keep his nose clean and return to form after a year off, while Jackson must prove he can have an impact beyond special teams.
The Buccaneers also addressed their cornerback need with the addition of Aqib Talib, taken 20th overall out of Kansas. Late pick Cory Boyd is intriguing, as a power runner and although Warrick Dunn’s best days are behind him, he will still be able to contribute. The Bucs are still the division favorite, and once Ernest Graham signs and Cadillac Williams returns, they will be even tougher to beat.
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